HOFMANN VOLTAMETER

EL06870, EL06875, EL110600

The Hofmann Voltameter is a special piece of glassware which allows electrolysis of
water, and analysis of the products of the electrolysis.
It consists of two burettes turned upside-down, connected at the bottom by a tube,
which is fed by a third tube in the middle which runs parallel to the burettes. This
central tube allows the apparatus to be filled.
The ends of the two burettes are open to allow bungs which hold electrodes to be
inserted.

REQUIREMENTS

Metal stand with base, rod and clamps EL06880

(only compatible with EL06875 and EL06870)
Safety clamp EL110615 (only compatible with EL110600)
Platinum electrodes EL06890
Distilled water
A small quantity of weak sulphuric acid
d.c. power supply
Splints and source of flame
Test tube

SETUP
Take care when handling this apparatus. It is a fragile single piece of glassware which
can be broken easily by mishandling. Keep all packaging for safe storage.
1. Secure the apparatus on the metal stand.
2. Carefully insert the electrodes into the bottom of the voltameter. Ensure theyre
in firmly so that the apparatus wont leak.
3. Open the taps on the voltameter to allow air to escape when filling.
4. Put 2mL of weak sulphuric acid into the voltameter.
5. Fill the voltameter with distilled water, leaving as small as possible volume of air
underneath the taps.
6. Close the taps.
7. Connect the power supply to the electrodes.

Copyright Timstar 2012

EXPERIMENT
Turn on the power supply and turn the voltage up until bubbles appear above the
electrodes. These bubbles should rise and the gas collected at the top of the burette.
The higher the voltage, the faster the reaction.
Leave the apparatus running for at least 15 minutes.

ANALYSIS OF ELECTROLYSIS PRODUCTS

After some time, a clearly visible volume of gas should be visible at the top of both
tubes. Note which electrode is the anode (connected to the positive output of the power
supply) and which is the cathode (connected to the negative).

Electrode
Anode (+ve)
Cathod (-ve)

Volume

Reaction

Gas

VOLUME OF GAS PRODUCED

Record the volume of the gas produced above the electrodes. You should see that the
volume of gas above one electrode is approximately double that of the other.
Avagadros Law states:
Under the same condition of temperature and pressure, equal volumes of all
gasses contain the same number of molecules.
Therefore, regardless of what gas has been collected, we can infer that for every
molecule of gas in the smaller volume, there are two molecules of gas in the larger
volume.

COLLECTING GAS SAMPLES

1. To collect a sample of the gas produced, get an empty test tube, and hold it
upside-down over the jet.
2. Open the jet for a short time, and the pressure inside the voltameter will blow
some of the collected gas into the test tube.
3. Close the tap, and quickly cover the test tube with a bung or your thumb to trap
the gas.

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TESTING GAS
1. Collect and trap a sample of one of the gasses.
2. Light a splint, and then extinguish it so it remains glowing.
3. Insert the glowing splint into the test tube with the gas sample and observe the
reaction.
4. If there is no reaction, then the gas might have escaped the test tube. Collect
another sample and try again.

RESULTS
You should have observed the following:

The gas above the anode (connected to the positive output of the power supply)
caused the glowing splint to re-light. This suggests it is oxygen.
Twice as much gas was collected above the cathode (connected to the negative
output of the power supply). A loud pop was heard and a brief flame observed
when the glowing splint was inserted, because the gas was burned. This
suggests it is hydrogen.

Therefore we can write a reaction:

()

( )

( )

We can therefore conclude that water is a composed of hydrogen and oxygen:

()

( )

( )

To exclude the possibility of the sulphuric acid being present in the electrolysis products,
simply titrate the remaining water from the voltameter to account for all the acid.
The sulphuric acid was used as an ionic compound to improve the conductivity of the
water (pure water is a very poor conductor on its own).

FURTHER DISCUSSION
Although the net reaction is water being decomposed into oxygen and hydrogen, there
are in fact two reactions taking place:
At the cathode:

()

At the anode:

()

( )
( )

()
()

The electrons moving from the cathode to the anode is the current flow.

Copyright Timstar 2012

DISASSEMBLY
Take care not to place too much strain on the glass when removing the apparatus.
Start by removing the outer tubes from their clips, then remove the central tube from its
clip, if using a holder with a central clip.
Place the glassware in its original packaging for maximum protection in storage.

Copyright Timstar 2012